Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman maybe serving his time in a New York prison, but it is not stopping him from bringing his story to television. Netflix and Univision is reported to be filming a television series about the life of Joaquin Guzman. The title of the show, which was originally said to be “Dolores de Amor”to keep the project top secret from Colombian locals, will be none other than “El Chapo.” After two dramatic prison escapes and Chapo’s extradition to the U.S. in 2016, the Sinola cartel is said to be going through a power struggle, which makes it difficult shoot the series in parts of Mexico. The show’s producers, however, settled on filming in Colombia since that was once the main hot spot for most of the violence perpetuated by the drug cartels. “El Chapo” has done a lot of filming in an area called Tabio. According to the Associated Press, Tabio has a colonial town square, church and park that matches the look of rural Mexico. It sounds like the show is going to be a MUST SEE. The sad part about this, however, is that Guzman hasn’t been contacted by Netflix or Univision for permission to use his story and likeness. The AP reports that Guzman has filed a bunch of appeals in Mexico and is threatening legal consequences to the networks if they do not get his permission. One of Guzman’s arsenal of attorney’s, Andres Granados, told The Associated Press that Netflix and Univision would have to pay for the right to use Guzman’s name and/or nickname,”Shorty.” “If they air this, they are immediately going to be sued,” Granados said. “They, by necessity, need the authorization of Mr. Guzman, because he is not dead.” Guzman gave the rights to his life story, however, to Mexican actress Kate del Castillo. Remember, she was the one who set-up a secret meeting in 2015 with Guzman and actor Sean Penn. Castillo never mentioned what she would do with those rights. She may have sold them to the networks and Guzman just don’t know about it. “El Chap” the series will premiere in the U.S. on Univsion on April 23. Soon after, the show will be release worldwide on Netflix.
